Scouting for 'Ghosts' on the Rocks

It was a frightful sight on Monday night at the Folk on the Rocks site.

Witches, ghouls and ghosts from the Netherworld could be seen haunting and hovering around the dark and shadowy grounds, ready to evoke screams and laughter from the many people who arrived on the scene to enjoy the spectacle created by the Yellowknife Scouts.

Brett Trimble, one of the Scout leaders who worked alongside the Scouts for many hours in October setting the scene in the Scout hut of horrors, said the impressive haunt started off as a fun event for the younger kids in the Scouting group.

“But then they decided to open it up to the public on a last minute whim for one day as a ‘by donation’ fundraiser,” Trimble said, adding that it drew a large crowd of people to the scene.

This is the second such year of the event.

“And the kids get to do a lot of community engagement. It's building, it's teamwork, it's imagination," added Trimble. “Halloween has minimal rules to it, so you don't get to say no that often, because it's, ‘Well, yeah, I guess we can,’ or ‘Yep, that sounds like a good idea.’

“It’s a recruiting and retention tool and it’s a good exercise in letting kids be creative and seeing what they can do,” he added.

The funds collected will be added to the ongoing fundraising effort by the Scouts so they can attend the World Jamboree in Poland in 2027.